Catogory:GHA

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Fighting with the IOC in 2011.

• Head of Ghana Olympic Committee sees no quick fix. Ghana is unlikely to resolve its difference with the IOC any time soon, putting in doubt its participation in the 2012 London Olympics. http://sportsillustrated.cnn.com/2011/more/01/14/olympics.ghana.ioc.ap/index.html
  • Ghana's government is believed to want Dodoo, a former Olympic triple jumper, as the head of its Olympic body, in breach of IOC rules that do not allow governments to interfere in national Olympic committees and their election processes.

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Heros

• Under 23 soccer team is one of the best in the world in 2011.

Sporting Stars

Soccer is easily the country's most popular sport and is likely to be hardest hit by an Olympic ban. Following the under-20 success, Ghana's men's national team reached the final of the 2010 African Cup of Nations and the quarterfinals of the World Cup in South Africa.

Women's Soccer in 2010

GHANA, Nickname: Black Queens

Previous appearances: 1998 (silver), 2000 (bronze), 2002 (silver), 2004 (bronze), 2006 (silver), 2008

How they qualified:The Black Queens qualified after beating Senegal 4-0 on aggregate. The Black Queens were 1-0 winners in the first leg held in Dakar before completing a double with a 3-0 win in the return encounter at the Ohene Djan Stadium.Team ProfileThe Black Queens are unarguably one of the strongest teams as far as women’s football on the continent is concerned. With the likes of Nigeria, Cameroon and South Africa; they have participated in every edition of the biennial championship since its inception in 1998. But for the last edition staged in Equatorial Guinea in 2008, the Queens had reached the semis on their five previous appearances and finishing as runners-up thrice in 1998, 2002 and 2006.Over the years, the Queens have played second fiddle to their bitterest rivals, the Super Falcons of Nigeria, but have qualified for every edition of the FIFA Women’s World Cup since 1999. However, the ultimate has eluded them at the continental championships and in South Africa, Coach Anthony Edusei and his charges will be hoping to go the extra mile.Following the team’s disastrous outing at the last championship, the playing body has virtually been overhauled with the injection of younger players including Portia Boakye, Doris Nartey, Akua Sika, Agnes Aduako, Diana Ankomah and Gladys Quansah amongst others. The younger generation were the core of the team that defeated the Teranga Lionesses of Senegal over the two legs and confirm their place at the seventh edition of the biennial championship.However, the likes of veteran Adjoa Bayor, Florence Okoe, Memunatu Sulemana have been around to offer the needed experience to the team when the need arises.

The Black Queens are inspired by the performance of their male counterparts, Black Stars, during the Africa Cup of nations and the FIFA World Cup in Angola and South Africa respectively to go for the ultimate this time.As usual, they will face opposition in five-time winners, Nigeria, hosts Banyana Banyana of South Africa and the Indomitable Lionesses of Cameroon as well as holders Equatorial Guinea.The thrice runner-sup have entered every tournament as amongst the favourites and this will bo exception despite having been paired in Group B alongside defending champions Equatorial Guinea, Algeria and Cameroon.The Black Queens will open their campaign against Algeria on November 2, face Cameron three days later before wrapping up against Equatorial Guinea on November 8, all in Sinaba.

Three key players

Adjoa Bayor At 31, she is by far not only the oldest player in the team but also the most experienced. Bayor, who plays for German side FF USV Jena has been in and out of the team for the past few months and played no role in the qualifying series. However, the experience of the 2003 CAF Women’s Footballer of the Year cannot be overlooked, a situation that has compelled the technical handlers to renege on their decision to go for youth ahead of experience. The playmaker has played in all six previous editions of the championship and will jump into the history books if she is selected for the South Africa 2010 edition. Bayor has seen it all as captain of the team since 2002 and she will be expected to power the Black Queens to the Golden Fleece after several attempts.

Florence Okoe Okoe has carved a niche as one of the most consistent players in the Black Queens setup since making her debut in 2002. At 26, she has played in every edition of the continental championship since 2002 and has been the link between the defence and attack.The hardworking midfielder who has played her entire career at Ghatel Ladies FC recently returned from a short spell with a German Club, where was reported to have excelled in as many matches.With two World Cup appearances up her sleeves, Okoe is poised for her fifth appearance at the continental championship. The talented midfielder was handed the captain’s armband in the absence of Adjoa Bayor during the qualifiers and played an instrumental role as the Queens shone past their Senegalese counterparts.

Anita Amankwah
Amankwah is widely regarded as the attacking sensation of the team. Her assets are pace, skill and ability to take on defenders, and this places above her peers. The 21-year old graduate of the Black Princesses (Ghana’s Under 19 women’s team) has captured a place in the starting line up and the team banks on her for goals in matches.She made her debut at the 2006 CAF Women’s Championship in Warri, Nigeria; and is fondly remembered for a brace she scored during Ghana’s 2-1 win over Cameroon at the group phase.Four years on, she has garnered enough experience and the forward will be expected to team up with the likes of Diana Ankomah to bang in the goals.Amankwah played a cameo role in the qualifiers after returning from a long lay-off from consistent, and has not lost any shine and is ready to dine with the big guns of African women’s football.

Profile of Coach Anthony Kwabena Edusei    Fondly called ‘A.K Edusei,’ he is widely regarded as one of the most gifted Ghanaian technical brains. Currently a CAF Instructor, he has enjoyed several stints with top clubs including Asante Kotoko, King Faisal Babes and also Ghana’s U-20 team, Black Satellites. He was appointed to steer the technical affairs of the Black Queens following the team’s lacklustre performance at the last edition in Equatorial Guinea in 2008 and has set a World Cup berth as his prime target at the South Africa 2010 CAF Women’s Championship.Edusei reckons a tough outing having been paired in the same group with holders Equatorial Guinea, Cameroon and Algeria; and is confident the materials at his disposal are capable of leading him to his dream.For the veteran trainer, the pedigree of the Black Queens places enormous pressure on him and his crew to reach at least the final, which will land them a ticket to the Germany 2011 FIFA Women’s World Cup.“Being in the same group with the defending champions (Equatorial Guinea) makes the group very dicey. There is also Cameroon, who have a strong team and we can’t underrate Algeria though they are not among the big teams.“Our target is to qualify for the World Cup and that means we have to reach the final. After the World Cup slot, we can think of winning the title.”

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Olympics

Ghana's young soccer players, who won the under-20 World Cup in 2009, could miss out on the 2012 Olympics in London.

Ghanaian soccer has also been in trouble with FIFA because of government interference. In December 2010, FIFA gave the Ghana Football Association an ultimatum to end government interference in its business or face an international ban. [1]

Beijing 2008 Olympics

• Ghana sent about a dozen athletes to the 2008 Beijing Games.

Past Olympic Memories

• Ghana has won four Olympic medals:
  • silver in boxing in 1960,
  • bronzes in boxing in 1964 and 1972, and a
  • bronze in men's soccer in 1992.

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